25 Things

Well, it finally happened: I got tagged for one of these. I may be late to the party but, yes, I am vain enough to write 25 things about me and it just might be the thing to kick-start this blog back into life so here goes ...

1. I met my wife on the internet back in 1994 before this was a popular thing to do.

2. I hate to be thought of as a computer geek, though people who know me insist I am; I like to think of myself as more rounded intellectually than that.

3. The first record I ever bought for myself was a Procol Harum compilation called "A Salty Dog" on EMI's "Music for Pleasure" label. I bought it in Woolworths and it cost 75p (this was in January 1973). I remain a fan to this day.

4. Organizing, arranging, listing, collecting, documenting things gives me great satisfaction.

5. I do not drive a car and in fact never learned to drive, though I did have a few lessons back in the late 80s.

6. I love to cook and think I'm pretty good at it.

7. I have a friend who I've known continuously for 45 years: 90% of my lifetime.

8. The iPod Touch is, to me, the nearest thing I know to the perfect gadget.

9. Hearing music I dislike is actively painful to me.

10. "Pedant" would be my middle name if I was named for my personal characteristics but in fact it's "Leonard" after my late father.

11. If I see words, anywhere, I just *have* to read them.

12. I'm hugely reluctant to operate outside my "comfort zone".

13. I enjoy playing games, more to master game mechanics than necessarily to win.

14. A book is, to me, a precious object to be treated with respect.

15. I love riding my bicycle.

16. I was an Apple Lisa beta-tester (the Lisa was a forerunner of the Mac).

17. I often feel personally affronted by generalisations and hate being labelled (see '2' above).

18. I enjoy wine but drink more than I should.

19. I wish I had learned to play a musical instrument.

20. When I was young, I dreamed of living and working in Cambridge. Now I do.

21. I always imagined I would hate camping but found I actually adore it.

22. I get grumpy when I'm hungry.

23. I'm a sucker for quizzes, surveys and anything that asks my opinion.

24. As soon as I've sent this I'll think of something crucial I've left out.

25. Life is good.